Emulsion treater having central cylindrical live electrodes



L. LAWRASON Dec. 29, 1931.

EMULSION THEATER HAVING CENTRAL CYLINDRICAL LIVE ELECTRODES OriginalFiled Aug. 31, 1927 0 3 Tzmm/ a 5 2 m m w 76 m w 2 1 i 7: M 4 3 W T072Lz'x zmpfa L/I WRA50/\/,

4/ aux C JHTTORIv E Y.

Patented Dec. 29, 1931 LEVERING LAWKASON, 01' LOS ANGELES,

RECTIFYING COMPANY OF TION OF CALIFORNIA EMULSION THEATER HAVINGApplication filed August 31,

My invention relates to fluid treating devices and particularly todevices for treating petroleum emulsions.

- It is an object of my invention to provide an improved treater.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the followingdescription and in the accompanying drawings in which a preferredembodimentof my invention is illustrated. I shall describe the inventionwit reference to its use in the dehydration 0 oil-water emulsionswithout limiting myself to this use of the invention.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional viewillustrating the treater of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2r-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the treater shown in Fig. 1 maybe generally designated by the numeral 10 and includes a cylindricalshell 11 having a tight bottom 12 which is provided with a water outletpipe 13 and a tight cap 14 which is provided with an oil outlet pipe 15.The shell 11, the bottom 12, and the cap 14, cooperate to enclose aspace 16.

Centrally disposed in the space 16 is a tubular grounded electrode 20which frusto-conical apron 22 extending outward and downward from thelower edge thereof. Brackets 23 provided on an inner face of the shell11 engage the periphery of the apron 22 so as to support this apronand-the electrode 20. When the apron is thus supported an annular space25 is formed between the shell 11 and the periphery of the apron.Disposed beneath the electrode 20 is an annular inlet manifold 28 whichforms a circle slightly less in diameter than the electrode 20 and hasperforationsthrough which an emulsion or fluid to be treated may beforced upward. Extending through the shell 11 so as to make a tight fittherewith and connecting to the manifold 28 is an emulsion supply pipe29.

Disposed within the grounded electrode 20 and spaced therefrom sons toform a primary annular treating space 34 of uniform width is a liveelectrode 35. This electrode includes a cylindrical shell 36 havingheads CALIFORNIA, OF LOS ANGELES,

1927, Serial No. 216,543. Renewed October 5,

f A baflle in the ary live electrode in the CALIFORNIA, ASBIGNOB 1'0CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA- cEurnAL cvnnmmon. LIVE nnncrnonns 37 and 38 tihtly closing the upper and lower ends thereo so as to exclude liquidfrom the inside of the shell 36. Connecting the head 37 and the cap 14is an insulator electrode support 40 which thus supports the electrode35 in proper position relative to the grounded electrode 20, thebuoyancy of the live electrode relieves the insulator 40 of unnecessarystrain when the s ace 10 is filled with a liquid as it is during t eoperation of the treater. form of an annular hood 41 may be formed uponthe upper portion of the electrode 35 as by an upward extension of theshell 36, the, hood extending upward and outward over the upper edgeof'the else-- trode 20. Extending downward from the outer edge of theannular hood 41 is a secondformof a. tubular formation 44 whichsurrounds and is spaced an equal distance from the grounded electrode 20to form a secondary treating space '45.

For the purpose of setting up a potential between the live electrode 35and the grounded electrode 20, an electrical conductor, such as a wire48, connects to the head 37 and is conveyed through the cap 14 by aninsulator 49, tightly fitting in a suitable opening in this cap. end ofthe secondary of a transformer 51, the opposite end of the secondary 50being grounded by a conductor 52 to the shell 11. The shell 11 may alsobe grounded to the earth by a conductor 53.

Surrounding the two electrodes 35 and 20 I is a tubular shield 58 whichis supported in the space 16 by wires 59 which connect to the cap 14.The lower. end of the shield 58 is disposed about half way between thelower the tubular formation 44 and the apron 22.

The operation of my emulsion treater when used in the dehydration of awater emulsion of petroleum is as follows:

-Before the treatment is commenced the shell 11 is filled with suitabledielectric liquid which is preferably petroleum of similar grade to thatcontained in the emulsion to be treated. A high potential is thenestablished between the live electrode 35 and the ground- .PETBOIEUI Theconductor 48 connects to one ed electrode 20 by energizing thetransformer Emulsion is now supplied through the emulsion inlet pipe 29and forced u ward in an annular series of jets directed rom the openingsin the manifold 28 so as to flow upward through the rimary treatingspace 34. As the emulsio emulsion are agglomerated into drops ofincreasing size so that b the time the emulsion has reached the top oithe space 34 short-circuiting chains have begun to form. The turbul Nofurther short-circuiting occurs as the emulsion passes through thesecondary treating space 45 owing to the much lower voltage gradient inthis space. In the secondary treating space the dehydration of theemulsion continues until, when the emulsion passes out through the lowerend of this space, the water particles are agglomerated into largemasses which readily sink in the petroleum separated from the emulsion.

As the water continues to drop downward it contacts with the apron 22and flows through the annular space 25 into the bottom of the shell 11.As this water collects it is drawn ofi from time to time and the tubularformation 44 into the upper portion of the dehydrator, in the upper por-16, from which it is withvarious purposes, such as the separation ofvarious constituents of the fluid, I do not therefore wish to be limitedto the use of this treater in the petroleum industry, wishing theappended claims to determine the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electric treater, the combination of: a live central electrode;a grounded elec- 2. In an electric treater, the combination of: a livecentral electrode; a grounded electrode surrounding said live electrodeto form an annular treating space open at its upper and lower ends;means for introducin a fluid into the lower end of into the spaceoutside said grounded electrode as it passes from the upper end of saidtreating space, said means comprising an annular hood provided upon saidlive electrode.

In an electrictreater, electrode; surrounding said live an annulartreating space and lower ends; means for introducing a fluid into thelower end space;

the combination a grounded elecelectrode to form comprising an annularhood provided upon said live electrode; and a secondary liveelectrodedepending from said hood about said grounded electrode.

an annular treating space open at its upper ends; means for introducinga fluid into the lower end of said treating space; means for deflectingsaid fluid downd into the space outside said grounded trode surroundingsald live electrode to form said treating space, said means comprisingan annular hood provided upon said live electrode; a secondary liveelectrode dependfor guiding the downward flow of treated fluid frombetween said grounded electrode and said secondarv live electrode.

6. In a treater, the combination of: a primary electrode; a secondaryelectrode spaced from said primary electrode, there being a primarytreating space formed therebetween; means for introducing emulsion intoopen at its upper one end of said primary treating space; and a hood onsaid primary electrode for changing the direction of flow of saidemulsion as it leaves said primary treating space. j

7. In a treater, the combination of: a primary electrode providing apair of walls connected together by a hood; a secondary electrodeextending between said walls and cooperating therewith to form primaryand secondary treating spaces; and means for introducing emulsion to betreated into one of said treating spaces, said emulsion being deflectedby said hood into the other of said treating spaces.

8. A combination as defined in claim 7 in which said secondary electrodeis spaced from said walls in such a manner that fields of differentvoltage gradients are formed therein, and in which said emulsion isintroduced into the field of higher voltage gradient.

9. In a treater, the combination of: a grounded electrode comprising atubular portion and an apron; a live electrode comprising a cylindricalshell inside said tubular portion and connected to a tubular formationoutside said tubular portion by a hood; means for discharging emulsionadjacent said apron which in turn guides it into the space between saidcylindrical shell and said tubular portion; and a tubular shieldsurrounding said tubular formation, the lower end of said shieldextending below said tubular formation.and above said apron.

10 In a treater, the combination of: a pair of -electrodes definingprimary and secondary concentric treating spaces; means for passing anemulsion successively through said treating spaces; and a shieldelectrically connected to one of said electrodes and spaced relative tothe other of said electrodes to define a space providing an auxiliaryfield through which must pass the dry oil separated from said emulsionin said primary and secondary treating spaces.

11. In a treater, the combination of: a shell; 'a primary electrode insaid shell and including a tubular portion and an apron; a secondaryelectrode inside .said tubular portion of said primary electrode andcooperating therewith in defining an annular treating spacecommunicating with the space below said apron; means for establishing adiflerence in potential between said electrodes; and means forintroducing the fluid to be treated into said space below said apron,said fluid rising through said treating space.

12. In combination: a tank containing a body of liquid; primary andsecondary electrodes insulated from each other in said tank andsurrounded by said liquid, said electrodes providing 9 treating spacedirected toward one of the walls of said tank; means for forcing thefluid to be treated through said treating space, said fluid movingtoward said wall of said tank; and a stationary baflle means positionedin the path of travel of said fluid issuing from said treating spacewhereby said fluid is deflect- 13. In a dehydrator, the combination of:a primary electrode; a hood on one end of said primary electrode; asecondary electrode extending adjacent said primary electrode and towardsaid hood but terminating short ofsaid hood, saidlhood extending overthe end of said secondary electrode, said. secondary electrode beinginsulated from said primary electrode and said hood whereby an electricfield may be set up between said primary and secondary electrodes andbetween said end of said secondary electrode and said hood; and meansfor introducing emulsion to be treated into that end of the treatingspace between said primary and secondary electrodes which lies oppositesaid hood, said emulsion flowing between said electrodes and intoengagement with said hood whereby said hood changes the direction offlow thereof and moves the emulsion through the field set up betweensaid hood and the end of said secondary electrode.

14:. A combination as define-d in claim 13 in which said secondaryelectrode is of ground potential and in which said primary electrode andsaid hoodbomprise a live electrode, and including grounded means aroundsaid hood and providing a settling space into which is discharged theemulsion issuing from said hood whereby said emulsion is subjected to anelectric field between said grounded means and said hood during the timethat the constituents thereof separate.

15. In a dehydrator, thecombination of: concentric live and groundedelectrodes providing a vertical treating space; means for directing theemulsion to be treated upward in said treating space; a battle at theupper end of said treatin space and mounted on one of said electro es,said baflle extending in the path of the risin emulsion and changing thedirection of ow thereof to direct said emulsion so that it flowsdownwardly around the other of said electrodes in the form of an annularstream; and means for establishing a difl'erence of potential betweensaid live and grounded electrodes to establish an electric field actingon both the upward and downward moving emulsion.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 26th day of August, 1927,

LEVERING' LAWRASON.

